Device for filling cigarette frames



March 13, 1962 B. SCHUBERT ETAL 3,024,585

DEVICE FOR FILLING CIGARETTE FRAMES Filed. 001;. 22, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 13, 1962 B. SCHUBERT ETAL DEVICE FOR FILLING CIGARETTE FRAMES 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 22, 1959 March 13, 1962 B. SCHUBERT ETAL 3,024,585

DEVICE FOR FILLING CIGARETTE FRAMES 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed 001;. 22, 1959 lHlH G K 1 H w I FJ m 2 M March 13, 1962 B. SCHUBERT ETAL 3,024,585

DEVICE FOR FILLING CIGARETTE FRAMES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 22, 1959 aw Re s s 3,024',585 DEVICE FOR FILLING CIGARETTE FRAMES Bernhard Schubert, ltIamburg-Lohhrugge, and Werner W. R. Harnack, Hamburg, Germany, assignors to Hauni-Werke Korber & Co., K.G., Hamburg-Bergedorf,

Germany Filed Oct. 22, 1959, Ser. No. 847,999 Claims priority, application Germany Oct. 24, 1958 5 Claims. (Cl. 53-236) The invention relates to novel and improved means for filling cigarette frames with cigarettes.

Arrangements for filling cigarette frames are known in which a transfer device is loaded with cigarettes and then moved downwardly into a cigarette frame whereupon one or more hinged bottom flaps in the transfer device are caused to swing downwardly in order to unload the cigarettes into the frame. The transfer device is then returned upwardly out of the frame and brought into condition to be reloaded. Unless in such known arrangements the total width of the bottom flaps substantially equals the length of the frame the filling is not satisfactory. As a result, transfer devices of this type necessarily are large and cumbersome, requiring considerable space and heavy and expensive operating mechanism. The filling procedure is slow.

An object of the present invention is to remove said disadvantages by providing filling means of the general type described, i.e. of the type having a generally downwardly and upwardly movable transfer device, which is of comparatively small dimensions and has greatly improved operating qualities and efficiency.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel and improved means of the kind indicated in which the free edge of a cigarette supporting member of the trans-fer device is caused to sweep along substantially the entire interior surface of the frame from the top of one end wall to the top of the opposite end wall in the process of filling the frame with cigarettes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be obvious from the following description of several embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partly diagrammatical elevation of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of a second embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through a locking device employed in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the locking device shown in FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5l0 are diagrammatical elevations of a third embodiment at six different stages of the filling procedure, .and

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of the frame to be filled with cigarettes.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 a frame 2 to be filled is disposed on a support 1 which may be an intermittently movable endless conveyor. The fram 2 is filled with cigarettes while stationary and when filled is moved until the next frame enters the filling position. At some distance above the stationary frame 2 to be filled an endless supply conveyor 3 is mounted on pulleys of which only one, numbered 5, is shown. An inclined, substantially rigid but pivotally mounted blade 6 is provided at its top edge with follower means 6a movably disposed in stationary guide way 7 comprising a straight inclined portion 7a, a curved portion 7b connected with the lower end of the guide portion 7aand having its upper end connected with a straight, substantially vertical portion 7d through a substantially horizontal intermediate portion 7c. The upper end of the portion 7d is connected with the guide portion 7a at a point below the upper end atcnt ice of said portion 7a. Accordingly, the guide way 7 constittues a closed path for the guidance of the follower means 6a.

At its lower edge the blade 6 has hingedly connected thereto at a flap 8 which has a main portion 8a of such a width as to substantially bridge the space between the conveyor 3 and the closest point of the guide way 7, as shown. A less Wide portion 8!; of the flap 8 extends in the opposite direction from the hinge connection 80 between the flap 8 and the blade 6. Spring means urge the flap 8 against a stop connected with the blade 6 or the hinge so as to limit the rotatability of the flap 8 in the clockwise direction to approximately the position shown adjacent to the conveyor 3.

A stationary wall 10 substantially parallel with the portion 7a of the guide way 7 extends downwardly from the vicinity of the pulley 5 and has its lower edge 10a closely above the upper edge of the lefthand end Wall 2a of the frame 2 which has been advanced to filling position. An abutment plate 15 arranged substantially parallel with the portion 7a of the guide way 7 i mounted adjacent the guide way portion 7a and extends downwardly to a level below the center of the pulley 5. A sensing finger or plate 9 is pivotally mounted at 9a and connected with means (not shown) adapted to stop the conveyor 3 and the blade 6 when the finger 9 drops onto the conveyor 3 due to the absence of cigarettes between the conveyor and said sensing finger 9. The blade 6, or rather its follower 6a, is connected with means such as a cam drive which continuously controls the movement of said blade 6 along the guide way 7. Said means for moving the follower means 6a along the guide way 7 is also synchronized with the drive means for the supply conveyor 3 and in a fully automatic arrangement also with the drive means for the conveyor 1 which 'movesthe frames 2 into and out of their filling positions.

. At the beginning of the filling operation of the frame the blade 6 slides lengthwise downwardly in such a manner that the front edge 8a of the flap 8 slides along the guide wall 10' until it reaches the lowermost end 1011 of this wall 10. Thereupon the blade 6 descends in accordance with the number of cigarettes discharged from the conveyor 3 and resting upon the flap 8 into the frame 2 and the front edge 8a of the flap 8 slides along the inner face of the front wall 2a of the frame 2 until the blade 6 engages the bottom of the frame 2. Thereupon the blade 6 performs a pivotal movement and the flap 8 moves along the bottom of the frame 2 until the blade 6 reaches the inner face of the rear wall 2b of the frame 2. The number of cigarettes 4 which accumulated on the transfer member 6, 8 above the frame 2 is in this manner transferred into the frame 2. It will be noted that during this movement the guide way 7, 7a, 7b and 70 causes the blade 6 to perform a pivotal movement whereby the distance of the blade 6 from the vertical front wall 2a of the frame 2 is gradually increased until the blade 6 engages with the rear edge 8b of its flap 8 the rear wall 2b of the frame. During the continued movement of the blade 6 the flap 8 is moved counterclockwise downwardly about its hinge 80 when the blade 6 is moved upwardly along the rear wall 2b of the frame 2. In this manner the blade 6 and the downwardly hanging flap 8 can easily be removed from the frame 2, particularly when the follower 6a moves upwardly in the portion 7d of the endless guide path 7.

When the transfer blade 6 has assumed the position indicated 6', 8 in FIG. 1, the number of cigarettes which was positioned above the frame 2 and between the guide wall 10 and the blade 6 corresponds to the space within the entire frame 2.

tion between an abutment wall 15 and the pivot joint of the preceding blade 6 and its flap has approached a position spaced from the discharging pulley 5. When this occurs, a portion of the preceding blade 6 releases the rear edge of the flap 8 of the succeeding blade, so that this fiap 8 may swing under spring tension into its operative position with its front edge 8a close to the discharging pulley 5 in order to receive the next charge of cigarettes to be transferred into the next frame 2. As soon as the flap 8 of the succeeding blade 6 has been moved in the position shown in FIG. 1, the filling operation of the preceding blade 6 has been completed. During the further movement of the preceding blade 6 the cigarettes held by the fiap 8 of the latter slide quickly downwardly, and the succeeding blade 6 has already received a number of cigarettes during the time the first mentioned frame 2 is being filled by the preceding blade 6.

In place of the mentioned second blade 6 one may also employ a shut-off blade between the discharge pulley 5 and the abutment wall 15, which shut-off blade is pulled outwardly as soon as the first mentioned blade 6 has again been moved into its cigarette receiving position as shown in FIG. 1. The sensing finger 9 drops downwardly upon the conveyor belt 3 in case the feeding of the cigarettes by the conveyor 3 should be discontinued for any reason and this causes a stoppage of the movement of the blade 6. The frames 2 may be moved into their filling position by a conveyor device, either from the left hand side or from the right hand side of the pulley 5. If, however, the frames 2 are moved in the direction of the arrow R as shown in FIG. 1, then one has the advantage that when the front wall of the filled frame moves past the lower edge 10a of the guide wall 10 the cigarettes, which are positioned above the top edge, are moved into the rear portion of the frame 2.

FIG. 2 illustrates a frame filling device in which the cigarettes are fed into the transfer position in similar manner as shown in FIG. 1. The sensing finger 9', however, is arranged above the cigarettes in the discharge position and controls the movement of a steel tape 11 in accordance with the accumulated height of the cigarettes 4 resting on the tape 11. The steel tape 11 is guided over a feed roller 12 and its front edge is attached to a transverse rod 13 which is arranged in a guide slot 14 provided in a vertical plate 1411. The guide slot 14 forms the apex of two oppositely inclined guide slots 14a and 14b the lower ends of which are connected with each other by a horizontally extending guide slot 14c. When a frame 2' is moved into its filling position, the front wall 2a of this frame 2 is positioned prior to the start of the filling operation directly under the lower end of the abutment wall 15'. When the filling operation commences, the transverse rod 13 moves along the forward guide slot portion 14a until it reaches the bottom of the frame as shown in the position 13. During this movement the rod 13 engages the front wall 2a of the frame 2 and moves the latter into the position indicated by the dotted lines A. Thereupon the rod 13 with the tape 11 attached thereto moves along the bottom of the frame 2', namely along the horizontal portion 140 of the guide slot until it reaches the position 13" at the rear wall 2b of the frame 2'.

The rod 13 has mounted thereon a locking device 17 (FIGS. 3 and 4) which will engage the rear face of the rear wall 2b of the frame 2, or, the locking device may also engage farther rearwardly the inner face of the front Wall of the next frame which follows the first mentioned frame in its filling position.

This locking device consists of a mounting bar 18 attached to the transverse rod 13. The mounting bar is provided at one end with a slot 18a in which is pivotally mounted about a pin 20 a locking pawl 19. A leaf spring 21 urges this locking pawl 19 normally to its operative position in which the pawl engages the rear wall 2b of the frame 2'. When the rod 13 moves now upwardly along the rear portion 14b of the guide slot, then the frame 2' and, if desired, also the following frame, is moved along and moves into the position B indicated in dash and dotted lines 13. The rod 13 thereupon moves entirely out of the frame 2 and will be located in a position it had before the filling operation started, namely in the position shown in FIG. 2.

In order to move the front wall of the succeeding frame into the proper position, in case the frames 2' are arranged directly one behind the other, it is necessary to move the succeeding frame a certain distance forward. This may be accomplished by the support 1 upon which the frames 2' are placed when this support 1 is constructed as a conveyor device, or one has to shape the guide slot 14 in such a manner that the rod 13, prior to its removal from the slot, causes the frame to move an additional short distance forwardly, whereupon the rod 13 is moved upwardly and is then moved backwardly into its initial position. For the purpose of improving the feed of the cigarettes into the frame 2 there is provided in the abutment wall 15 a rotatable roller 16 as shown in FIG. 2.

The FIGS. 5 to 10 illustrate a somewhat modified construction of a device for filling cigarettes into frames. In these figures the device for discharging the cigarettes is substantially the same as shown in FIG. 1, but the transfer device consists of a vertically disposed transfer member 31 and a guide plate 32 both of which are arranged horizontally in spaced relation from the discharge pulley of the conveyor device. Both portions 31 and 32 are adapted to be moved in vertical direction by means of suitable drive members, for instance a pinion and rack device. The transfer member 31 consists of a blade 31a and a flap 31b which latter is pivotally mounted at the lower end of the blade 31a. The flap 31b in its operative position as shown in FIG. 5 is positioned with its front edge closely adjacent the turning point of the discharge conveyor 33. A stop flap 34 is arranged between the individual sections of the discharge conveyor 33 or may also be arranged on top of the discharge conveyor 33. At any rate, the stop flap 34 is so arranged that the cigarettes may be moved over the same or forms a bridge between two adjacent conveyor sections. The frames S are positioned upon a movable base 35 or, when this base is stationary, means are provided for sliding the frames S along this base.

The cigarettes which are discharged by a cigarette making machine are conducted by the discharge conveyor 33 toward the transfer member 31 which together with the guide plate 32 is moved vertically downwardly in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 3 in accordance with the number of cigarettes which are supplied, so that the cigarettes drop into the stationary frame S therebelow. When the guide plate 32 engages with its lower end the bottom of the frame S, then the flap 31b on the blade 31a is pivoted counterclockwise about a horizontal axis in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 6, namely toward the guide plate 32. In view of this pivotal movement of the flap 31b the frame S is completely filled between the front wall of the frame S and the guide plate 32.

For completely filling of the frame S the latter is now moved into the direction of the arrow 36 shown in FIG. 7. During this movement the transfer blade 31a is moved vertically in the direction of the arrow 37 relatively to the guide plate 32 which remains in its position. The transfer blade 31a is moved until it leaves the upper end of the frame S. During this time the number of cigarettes is supported by the guide plate '32 which is also moved upwardly shortly before it engages the rear wall 38 of the frame S as shown in FIG. 8. Of course, the arrangement may also be made that the guide plate 32 comes into engagement with the rear wall of the frame before it is moved upwardly and out of the moving frame S.

A short time before the completion of this filling operation the stop flap 34 is moved upwardly and prevents an additional feeding of cigarettes into the discharge shaft 39 formed between the discharge end of the conveyor and the transfer blade 31a.

The volume of the cigarette pile which at this point is in the discharge shaft 39 corresponds to the volume of the frame which still has to be filled after the guide plate 32 has been moved from the same. Thereupon the flap 31b is again moved into its operative position and the stop flap 34 is moved downwardly as shown in FIG. 9, so that after removal of the filled frame S and the placing of another frame S in operative position the mentioned filling operation can be repeated as illustrated in FIG. 10.

In completion to our description for our second embodiment, details as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 shall be described as follows:

The locking device 17 is loosely and rotary mounted at rod 13. Fastening will be made by means of a bracket 201, encircling rod 1 3 as per FIG. 4. The bracket 201 is provided with a slit 202, a pin 203 is movable in the slit 202. The pin 203 is fastened at rod 13. Consequently the locking device 17 is able to swing around rod 13, as far as this is permitted by slit 202. By this it is secured that the locking device 17 is not able to glide away in a right position, after rod 13 has reached position 13, but in consequence of its inclination to the left strikes upward during a further downward removing of rod 13, and finally reaches the support of conveyer belt 1'. By this an engaging behind the rear wall 2b of the frame, as shown in FIG. 3 is secured. The rod 13 is being moved by means of a lever 294, for instance by a bent-lever, which allows a sliding of rod 13 in the guide slot 14.

The rod 13 shows ina known execution a pin-bearing 205, so that an easy guiding in the guide way 14 will be made possible. The lever or bent-lever 204 is not shown in FIG. 2, as the lower part of FIG. 2 is covered and the upper part is cut off. The rod 13 is loosely pivoted in lever 204 too.

What we claim is:

1. In a device for filling cigarette frames, an endless conveyor band which is substantially horizontal and unidirectionally movable to transport cigarettes transversely disposed thereon towards the discharge end of the conveyor band, support means for receiving the discharged cigarettes mounted adjacent to said discharge end of the conveyor band and movable downwardly into a cigarette frame having a front wall and a rear wall, said support means being adapted to be withdrawn from under the cigarettes towards the end of its downwardly movement, guide means extending downwardly from said discharge end of the conveyor band to retain the cigarettes on said support means during the movement of said support means downwardly towards and into said cigarette frame, and means for causing substantially horizontal relative movement between said support means and said cigarette frame in a direction to enlarge the space between said support means and the front wall of the cigarette frame and thereby to accommodate an increasing number of cigarettes between said support means and said front wall until said support means is withdrawn upwardly in the vicinity of the rear wall of the cigarette frame, thereby enabling the cigarettes to entirely fill the cigarette frame.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1, in which said support means comprises a flap mounted on an upright member for pivotal movement between a depending position and a position where the free edge of said flap is in close proximity to said guide means.

3. The device as set forth in claim 2, including a backing plate arranged rearwardly of said upright member and in sliding engagement therewith for movement into and out of said cigarette frame in timed relation to said support means.

4. In a device for filling cigarette frames, an endless conveyor band which is substantially horizontal and unidirectionally movable to transport cigarettes transversely disposed thereon towards the discharge end of the conveyor band, support means for receiving the discharged cigarettes mounted adjacent to said discharge end of the conveyor band and movable downwardly into a cigarette frame having a front wall and a rear wall, said support means including an upright member and a flap secured thereto for pivotal movement between a depending position and a cigarette supporting position, a backing plate disposed rearwardly of said upright member in sliding engagement therewith for. movement into and out of said cigarette frame in timed relation to said support means, guide means extending downwardly from said discharge end of the conveyor band to retain the cigarettes on said support means during the movement of said support means downwardly towards and into said cigarette frame, and means for causing substantially horizontal relative movement between said support means and said cigarette frame in a direction to enlarge the space between said support means and the front wall of the cigarette frame to accommodate an increasing number of cigarettes between said support means and said front well until said support means is withdrawn upwardly in the vicinity of the rear wall of the cigarette frame, thereby enabling the cigarettes to fill the cigarette frame completely.

5. The device as set forth in claim 4, including means for intermittently moving said frame horizontally, and blocking means mounted adjacent to said conveyor band and being movable between an inoperative position and a blocking position to intermittently interrupt the discharge of cigarettes from said conveyor band, whereby while said conveyor band is discharging cigarettes to said support means with said flap in supporting position said support means and backing plate are moved downwardly into a stationary frame with the free edge of said flap moving in close proximity to the front wall of the frame until the lower end of said backing plate reaches the bottom of said frame when said flap is caused to move to its depending position and said frame is caused to begin moving horizontally whereupon said support means is withdrawn upwardly and, when the rear wall of the frame approaches said backing plate, said backing plate is withdrawn upwardly and said blocking means is moved to its blocking position, said flap then being moved to its supporting position and said blocking means being moved to its inoperative position when another frame is in position to be filled.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 540,723 Colgin June 11, 1895 

